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It is generally thought that Winchester only made the Model 71 in .348 Win. I have seen references to some specimens made in .33 Win and .45-70. Are there any other calibers that the factory may have experimented with?

I could be real wrong on this, but, the 71 was only offered in the 348. It (the 71) is a decendant of the 1886 winchester which was chambered in 33,4570,4082,3856,50110 express and probably a couple others I missed.
The 86 was discontinued in the early 30's and the 71 brought out in 1935 or 36.

I once read an article by Layne Simpson and he said that when the very first Model 71 rifles came out some were chambered in .33 Winchester. He said that he had actually seen one. Hope this helps. I don't think it could mechanically handle the .45-70. Thanks...Bill.

I saw an auction recently for a M71 in .33 Win., and I seem to remember a M71 in 45-70 illustrated in a book or magazine article. I just wonder what other calibers might be floating around out there?

My Dad and some of his shooting buddys went together on a model 71 which they had re-bored to 450 Alaskan.
348 case blown out close to straight wall. Don't remember details, but kind of a hopped up 45-70.
Sure wish I'da ended up with it, but one of the other guys son got it!
Virgil B.

Anything other than 348 in a 71 winchester, isn't likely to be factory, unless it was special ordered, but it sure wouldn't be a stock item.

Ther is only one cartridge chambered for production model 71 Winchesters-the .348 WCF.
Anyone who says they have a real production 71 in any other chamberin is tryin to sell folks that proverbial bridge.
Now, some 86s could be had with full pistol grips, half magazines, peep sights, sling swivels an all-they sure look like 71s, but they aint, an never will be.
The 71 was the 86 made simpler an easier to produce-its not quite as strong as the 86, an is way more sensitive to OAL-a fact that didnt mean didley to the factory, cuz it fed an functioned fine with the .348.
The .348 is based on the ol big .50 brass, necked down, Winchester looked to a new ballistician to come up with the round, an they wanted it to be completely unique-no other company has made a .348 caliber cartridge, even to this day. The first loadings were the 150 an the 200 grainers, but folks pressured Winchester to come up with a real thumper for the 71, an the 250 was it.
The .33 WCF was an exellent cartridge, it was based on the 45-70 case, necked to .338. Its OAL is too short to function reliably in the 71.
The 45-70 needs no intro, an was a staple in the 86, but it never made it into the 71, period.
Now, folks have hacked, chopped hotrooded, bored out, necked up darn near all the 71s I've ever seen. Its so bad that most of em are either wall hangers or your guns smiths means of paying for his next family outing to Cabo. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if folks have fired .33WCF ammo in em, bored em out an tried to make em 45-70s an a host of other vile deeds reserved for the brain dead, but that dont change the facts, an the facts are that the 71 an the .348 were made together as one. It is as God an Winchester intended. Anything else is just plain wrong.

:)Sheesh MAK don't sugar coat things up so much, just tell it straight out like it is.

"Chambers
Except for a few experimental guns, especially made for the ballistics lab, all models 71 chambered the 348 W.C.F. cartridge. This cartridge was basically an improved 33 W.C.F. Originally available from Winchester with factory loads of 150, 200 and 250 grain bullets, the 250 grain loads were discontinued temporarily due to high pressures and were later reintroduced with reduced charges."
From The Winchester Handbook by George Madis, p.97

It seems logical to me that some of the experimental guns mentioned in this passage may have been made with leftover 86 barrels. In that case, who knows what oddities are waiting to come to light.

Those "experimental" guns are either still in Winchesters possession, or with the collection in Cody.
That's not to say that a 71 can't or won't show up with a takeoff barrel from an 86 that was installed by a gunsmith somewhere, but it's extremely doubtful that anything other than a 348 can be factory lettered.

Two articles on the 348 -- I have one in .348AI.

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/model71_info.htm

http://www.leverguns.com/articles/taylor/model71.htm

348 or 348....

348 Ackley Improved -- I took it in with a couple of other Winchesters -- when I looked at the old fired cases that came with it I realized that they were not regular .348s. I had Conley Precision reload the cases with 220 gr Barnes bullets to test fire it as the fellow I bought it from had never fired it in the 25 years he had it... it does go bang and it does punish the shoulder (no pad). Right now I am considering have it restocked (rear is probably not original) and then determine if I want to sell it or take it for myself (first wanted one of these in the late 50s).

how about a tang marked 86 serial #'d as a 71 would have been??
thanks chris

Mine's a 450-348 Ack. Imp. It's right on the heals of the .458 WM.

Mel

I was reading a 35 year old American Rifleman and it had pictures of a 71 in .33 and one in .45-70. They swore they were factory and that the factory made just a very, very few like that.

For what it's worth.

Maybe some prototype/transition 1886/71 guns. I've yet to see/hear of a factory 71 in anything but 348, not that it ain't possible. Sure would like to have one if they exist.......grin

Which issue is that? I remember the article - probably in 1972???

Depend on it, there are at least one each factory .33 and .45-70 Model 71s out there in collectors' hands. Have seen pics, altho I don't recall where - maybe in a auction catalog in the last few years.

Here is a mention in the March, 1972 The American Rifleman article, "Winchester 1886 Repeater Provided Plenty of Punch", by James E. Serven. On page 33, "..It
should be noted that Winchester also built some Model 71's on special order for .33 W.C.F. cartridge."